The work of illustrator, Seth Pimentel, conveys a darkness. This ominous feeling that his work gives to the viewer is indicative of phobias and of the parts within ourselves that we fear the most.
Seth Pimentel, or African Ginger, lives in Johannesburg and draws inspiration from the city by which he is surrounded. The illustrations that he creates are new and interesting and complex. By making use of layers, his drawings house energy and restlessness.
As an artist, he does not shy away from the emotions that he uses to create his work and, through this action, he is able to confront what we are hiding beneath masks that we have constructed. His work is that which we do not want people to see of ourselves. The work creates an extensive atmosphere that is vivid and often captures a sense of torment.
Seth was encouraged by one of his teachers when he was six. He had drawn something that stood in vast contrast to that which was produced by is classmates. It wasn’t in the lines and the colours he used were not the predictable ones usually chosen by young children but his teacher recognised the creativity in the drawing. This is something that his work continues to reflect. Inspired by Basquiat, there is a raw connection to the process of drawing in his work. There is a sense that the artist has created work that is an insight into the subconscious by thinking less and feeling more.
He works primarily in a digital medium but there is a texture to his works that is indicative of his favourite medium: watercolour. Because of this, there is an interesting play between the digital and the hand-drawn in the pieces. This is something that Seth is aware of as an artist as he strives to seamlessly combine different styles within his work, while keeping it reflective of an intensity of feeling. He has managed to do what so many artists attempt but most do not manage successfully: he has created something authentic.
As an artist, he has learnt to combine the internal emotional source with his external influences and seems to be aware of the journey that he is on as an artist as he pushes his art forward. This has become evident through the obvious maturing his work has done more recently as it has embraced darker and more dramatic nuances that have moved his work from simple illustrations to more complex pieces of art. It is a process that seems destined to continue in this direction with no doubt that this is an artist of whom we will not be able to avoid taking notice.
